1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera. More specifically, the present invention relates to a digital camera that photographs an object at a time of accepting a photographing instruction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A recent digital camera is equipped with a self-timer photographing function as well as a silver salt film camera. When the self-timer photographing function is activated and then, a shutter button is operated, photographing is executed after a lapse of a predetermined time period (e.g., 10 seconds) from the operation. Therefore, an operator himself can join objects.
However, when a battery power is run out directly after starting a timer, the photographing is not normally executed. At this time, since the operator is away from the camera so as to join the objects, there is a possibility that no one recognizes that the photographing is not normally executed due to an insufficient battery.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a digital camera allowing a person who is an object to recognize an insufficient battery with ease.
According to the present invention, a digital camera for performing main exposure on an image sensor after a lapse of a predetermined time period from accepting a photographing instruction and recording on a recording medium an image signal obtained by the main exposure comprises a determiner for determining a remaining amount of a battery just before the main exposure; and a generator for generating a message depending upon a determination result of the determiner.
After a lapse of the predetermined time period from accepting the photographing instruction, the image sensor is subjected to the main exposure, and the image signal thus obtained is recorded on the recording medium. It is noted that the remaining amount of the battery is determined by the determiner just before the main exposure, and the message is generated by the generator depending upon the determination result. The generation of the message allows the object to recognize the insufficient battery.
Preferably, the remaining amount of the battery is determined by the determiner after adjusting photographing conditions. In a case of adjusting the photographing conditions on the basis of an image signal obtained by pre-exposure of the image sensor, the remaining amount of the battery is also decreased by the adjusting process. When paying attention to the remaining amount of the battery after adjusting the photographing conditions, it is possible to surely and easily determine whether or not the image signal based on the main exposure is recorded.
Preferably, the pre-exposure is performed on the image sensor during at least a period from accepting the photographing instruction to the lapse of the predetermined time period, and an image based on the image signal obtained by the pre-exposure is displayed on a displayer. The remaining amount of the battery is also decreased by such an image display. Accordingly, whether recording of the image signal based on the main exposure is possible or not has to be determined from the remaining amount of the battery just before the main exposure, that is, the remaining amount of the battery after the operator is away from the camera.
In a case of being provided with a lamp blinking in a first cycle just before the main exposure, the generator blinks the lamp in a second cycle.
The above described objects and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.